Editing Joe Clark (section)

===Secretary of State for External Affairs (Minister of Foreign Affairs)===
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The Progressive Conservatives, led by Mulroney, went on to win a huge victory in the [[1984 Canadian federal election|1984 election]], and Mulroney became prime minister.

Despite their personal differences, Clark ably served in Mulroney's cabinet as the Secretary of State for External Affairs, as the [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] was known before 1993.

Some of Clark's accomplishments and bold moves in this role included:
* convincing Mulroney to recommend the appointment of [[Stephen Lewis]] as Canada's ambassador to the United Nations – who later became the UN special envoy on the [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]] crisis; many believe Lewis' appointment was Clark's price to serve under Mulroney;
* in 1984, being the very first [[developed nation]] foreign affairs minister to land in previously isolated [[Ethiopia]] to lead the Western response to the [[1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia]]; Canada's response was overwhelming, and led the United States and Great Britain to follow suit almost immediately – an unprecedented situation in foreign affairs to that time, since Ethiopia had a [[Marxism|Marxist]] one-party state and had previously been wholly isolated by "the West";
* taking a strong stand against [[Apartheid in South Africa|apartheid]] and for [[economic sanction]]s against South Africa at a time when Canadian allies [[Ronald Reagan]] and [[Margaret Thatcher]] opposed such sanctions;
* taking a strong stand against American intervention in [[Nicaragua]];
* accepting refugees from [[El Salvador]] and [[Guatemala]];
* managing nonetheless to maintain extremely strong ties with the US, helping steer the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] negotiations to a final agreement.

During his term as External Affairs minister, Clark championed Canada's unabashed disapproval of the apartheid regime in South Africa. Canada was the only [[G7]] nation to take such a resolute stance against the apartheid regime during the 1980s. He also took on the difficult Constitution ministerial portfolio after the failure of the [[Meech Lake Accord]], and vigorously pursued his task.

Clark maintained Canada's independent voice politically and socially at a time of increasing economic integration with the US and the rise of more socially conservative [[right-wing politics]] there.